Fresh India nuclear talks begin

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The group of countries which regulates global nuclear trade is meeting in the Austrian capital, Vienna, to discuss a landmark Indian-US nuclear deal, reports BBC. brA waiver from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group would help India finalise the deal. brThe UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has already backed the controversial accord. brIndia's government says the deal is vital to meet its energy demands. brCritics of the deal say it creates a dangerous precedent - allowing India access to fuel and technology without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other countries must do. brThose opposed to lifting the ban say it would undermine the arguments for isolating Iran over its nuclear programme. brThe two-day meeting in Vienna will consider a revised US proposal to lift the ban on nuclear trade with India, a key element of the landmark deal. brReports say that some members of the NSG had expressed concern that the revisions were cosmetic and did not help in clearing the air about whether the deal would enable India to subvert agreements meant to stop production and testing of nuclear weapons. brFollowing the latest meetings, an unnamed diplomat was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency that the outlook for consensus is dim because India and the US won't accept any references in the waiver text to automatic cessation of trade in case India tests another nuclear weapon. brSeparately, a report in the Washington Post newspaper said that the Bush administration had told the US Congress in a secret letter that the US had the right to stop nuclear trade with India should the latter conduct a nuclear weapons test. brThe letter to the late Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said The fuel supply assurances are not, however, meant to insulate India against the consequences of a nuclear explosive test or a violation of non-proliferation commitments. brIndia's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communists - former allies of the governing Congress party who withdrew support for the government over the nuclear deal - have said the contents of the letter show the government is deceiving the country.